SRI GADADHARA PANDITA AND TOTA GOPINATHA

Posted by Devarsi on April 21st, 2020

Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja

SRI GADADHARA PANDITA AND TOTA GOPINATHA

[This year, 2020, the appearance day of Sri Gadadhara Pandit is April 22 and 23 (in America and India). We pray that you will enjoy reading the following discussion that took place at the Tota Gopinath temple in Jagannath Puri in 1993:]

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu lived in the cave at Gambhira, He was always thinking of Krsna and weeping. He came to this world to taste radha-bhava, and His activities while in Gambira comprise a drop of the ocean He experienced. While living in Gambira He gave the deity of Gopinatha to Srila Gadadhara Pandita and told him, “Today I will give you a very good thing. Will you accept it?”Srila Gadadhara Pandita replied, “Yes, why not? I’ll keep it on my head.”

In the mood of Radhika, Mahaprabhu began to search here and there in the sand. All of a sudden He touched the mukut (crown) of Gopinatha and told the others, “Take out the sand.” He then placed Gopinatha in the lap of Gadadhara Pandita and said,

“You should never leave Him.”

Srila Gadadhara Pandita built a hut there, and Mahaprabhu used to come daily to take darsana of Gopinatha. Whenever He went to the Jagannatha Mandira and saw Subhadra and Baladeva, He did not experience very much pleasure. Rather, in front of Baladeva and His sister Subhadra He felt very shy and thought, “I have come to Kuruksetra.” He was in the mood of Srimati Radhika at Kuruksetra where, in great separation, She tried to bring Krsna (Jagannatha) to Vrndavana. In the mood of Srimati Radhika, Mahaprabhu did not like to see Krsna in Kuruksetra, because all His associates, along with all His queens of Dvaraka, were there, and so many horses and elephants were there. There was no chance for Radhika to be with Him in private, and this is why Mahaprabhu always felt intense separation in Puri. In this way, being in Gambhira was like being in Vrndavana and feeling separation for Krsna in Dvaraka.

The mood of separation was always present in Mahaprabhu in Puri. When Radhika went to Kuruksetra, She did not take rest with Krsna. Rather, She was given a separate accommodation in a tent, and Krsna lived with the Yadavas and His queens. When He went to His own accommodation, She felt great separation.

In Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sometimes saw the sea as Yamuna and jumped in it, but there He wept still more, because Krsna would disappear. Sometimes He became like a tortoise, His limbs drawn into His body, and sometimes the joints of His hands and legs would become separated by eight inches, remaining connected only by skin. At that time He sometimes appeared like a ghost. When the devotees would see Him in that condition, they would all become fearful and begin to weep for Him. All this was due to separation from Krsna, and therefore, to get some relief, Mahaprabhu would come to Gopinatha. Seeing Gopinatha, He felt, “Oh, I have come to Vrndavana. My Prananatha (life of My soul) is here.” In this way His tears of separation would subside.

On one side of Gopinatha we see Srimati Radhika, on the other side Lalita, and both are black like Krsna. Being in the mood of Radhika, when Mahaprabhu used to see Gopinatha, He (She) became one in mood with Krsna and became black. Radha becomes black by seeing Her Prananatha and becoming absorbed in Him. She sometimes takes the flute of Krsna and begins to play it, and in this way also, She becomes black. This is the mood of Tota Gopinatha with Radhika and Lalita. Then, in the mood of Srimati Radhika, Krsna becomes Mahaprabhu, and Lalita becomes Sri Svarupa Damodara.

You can see that Gopinatha is sometimes standing and sometimes sitting. Although you do not see any other vigraha (deity) sitting, He sits. Some say that when Srila Gadadhara Pandita became old, he could no longer offer garlands to Gopinatha, and therefore Gopinatha sat down. But this is not actually true. Caitanya Mahaprabhu disappeared at the age of 48, and Gadadhara Pandita was only one year younger. He left this world a year after Mahaprabhu disappeared, and thus there was no chance for him to become old. When Mahaprabhu disappeared, following the order of Mahaprabhu, he did not leave the worship of Gopinatha. Always feeling separation, he quickly became lean and thin and could not even stand to give a garland to Gopinatha. Seeing Gadadhara Pandita in such a state, Gopinatha sat down for him, and Gadadhara Pandita continued to offer the garlands along with his tears.

There was a bhakta of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu named Mamu Thakura who used to render various services to Him. Soon after Mahaprabhu disappeared, Srila Gadadhara Pandita also disappeared, and at that time his disciple Mamu Thakura was appointed by the government of Puri to serve Gopinatha. He was old – about 84 years – and he could not properly offer garlands to Gopinatha. Some say that perhaps because Mamu Thakura could not give garlands to Gopinatha in his old age, Gopinatha sat down for him. Actually, however, Gopinatha sat only for Srimati Radhika. It is a common thing for Srimati Radhika that Krsna stands up and sits down for Her.

Question: Some people say these deities are Lalita and Radhika, and some say they are Lalita and Visakha. Are both opinions correct according to their own moods?

Srila Naryana Gosvami Maharaja: On Gopinatha’s left side is Srimati Radhika and on His right is Srimati Lalita devi. As Gadadhara Pandita, Srimati Radhika was always watching Krsna, in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, to see whether or not He was correctly playing Her role. In this way, it is Srimati Radhika who is there with Tota Gopinatha.

Question: Before coming to Puri, Mahaprabhu knew Svarupa Damodara in His early years in Navadvipa? They were school friends?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Both Svarupa Damodara and Gadadhara Pandita, and also Murari Pandita, were with Him. They all grew up together. Jagadananda Pandita, Mukunda, and Vasu Gosh were also His friends from childhood.

Question: You have said that of the four dhamas of Mahaprabhu, Navadvipa is considered the best. I could not understand what you said.

Srila Naryana Gosvami Maharaja: At first He was in Navadvipa, from childhood up to kisora-lila, reading and writing. When He was 24 years old He left His home and came to Jagannatha Puri, and there He gave mercy to Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. After that He went to South India, and there He met Raya Ramananda at Godavari. Raya Ramananda saw Him in mahabhava (as Radha) and as Rasika Sekhara (Krsna). He saw Rasaraja Mahabhava, Srimati Radhika and Krsna combined, and he fainted. After that Mahaprabhu returned to Puri and enjoyed the vipralambha-bhava of Srimati Radhika.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed His kisora-lila in Navadvipa, and therefore Navadvipa is Vrndavana. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura and others have explained that it is non-different from Vrndavana, but they have not said that Jagannatha-ksetra is Vrndavana. Rather, it represents Dvaraka or Kuruksetra. Those who follow Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and do bhajana in Navadvipa will come out in Vrndavana on the bank of the Yamuna at Vamsivat. This has been written and revealed by our acaryas, but they have never said that Jagannatha Puri is Vrndavana. Sri Ksetra means Laksmi Ksetra, where Satyabhama and Rukmini, or Maha Laksmi, reside. If a person leaves his body in Jagannatha Puri, he becomes four-handed, but this is not so in Vrndavana and Navadvipa. There, one will become two handed like the associates of Radha and Krsna. Therefore, Navadvipa is superior to Jagannatha Puri.

Question: And the fourth place?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: The four places are Navadvipa, Puri, Godavari and Vrndavana. Vrndavana and Navadvipa are the same, but they are seen as two. At the time of sadhana, Navadvipa it is seen as Navadvipa, and in the siddha stage it is seen as Vrndavana. In sadhanavasta (the stage of performing sadhana) we will see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, but when we become siddha we will see: “Oh, Radha and Krsna have both become Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.” So both are one.

On the other hand, in the intense separation of divyonmada, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to see Puri as Kuruksetra and Dvaraka. As far as Godavari is concerned, it is Mahaprabhu’s ‘school.’ He learned from His siksa-guru, Visakha devi, in the school of Srila Raya Ramananda, and after that He returned to Puri. In Puri, He was always absorbed in Vrndavana.

Question: I heard that this part of Puri, Tota Gopinatha, was called Gupta Vrndavana.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Mahaprabhu used to see Gopinatha here, and He therefore used to see His place as Vrndavana. But it is not Vrndavana. It is part of Dvaraka and Kuruksetra, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to feel separation here, throughout the entire day and night.

Question: Why did Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu not go to Vrndavana first?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: If He had done so, everybody would have known that He is Krsna. There He will always weep and become as mad. He would not be in Radha’s mood; He would be in the mood of Krsna. When He would see the cows grazing, the calling peacocks, “Ke ka, ke ka,” and the cuckoos calling, “Kuhoo, kuhoo,” He will leave that mood of Radhika. He will become Krsna and begin to run everywhere searching for Radha: “O Radhe! Radhe! Radhe!” This is because every leaf, tree, creeper, and everything else in Vrndavana calls, “Radhe, Radhe,” He would not able to remain in radha-bhava.

Question: You’ve said that, by bhava, Jagannatha Puri is higher than Navadvipa. I think you said that Navadvipa is first, then Puri, then South India—in order of superiority. But by bhava, Jagannatha Puri is first, then South India and then Navadvipa. Is that correct?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No. I explained that here in Puri there is only lamentation in the mood of separation. I said that the acaryas in our disciplic line are associates of Srimati Radhika – as palya-dasi. We want that Srimati Radhika is always cheerful, and She is cheerful when She is with Krsna. We are pleased when Krsna searches Radhika, when Radhika is hidden in a kunja and Krsna is calling, “Where is Radha? Where is Radha? Where is Radha, Lalita, Visakha and the others?” The gopis are very pleased, thinking, “Oh, today He is searching.” They are all in a good mood, and Radhika is so joyful. We should always be pleased in that way.

Here in Puri, Radhika is always calling, “O Krsna! O Krsna! O Krsna!” We don’t want that. We select as the best place that place where Krsna will search – in a place like Radha-kunda. Krsna approaches Radhika and serves Her feet, and at that time Radhika is proud and enjoys so much. Here in Puri there is no rasa-lila. Here there is a separation mood; no meeting.

Question: You said one time that this was the most important part of everything He showed.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: It is extremely important. For us, at our stage, the mood of separation is more helpful than meeting. But we want that Srimati Radhika should be always pleased. Here She is always weeping and weeping. We don’t want to see Radhika constantly weeping.

Question: But it is Krsna who is weeping, isn’t it?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is in the mood of Radhika. We consider Vrndavana the best place. It is the where Radhika will place Her feet in the lap of Krsna and He will paint His name on them. Krsna will then keep Her feet on His head and heart, and that fresh color will make a stamp-like print on His body. He is always serving Her there; there She says, “Oh, He loves Me best.” We want that; but for sadhana, separation is helpful. Without separation we cannot advance an inch further.

Question: Is Jagannatha Puri better for sadhana than Navadvipa?

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: Navadvipa is better in all ways.

Question: Does Tota Gopinatha give some special benedictions?

Srila Maharaja: Yes, He can give His service. What is the meaning of Gopinatha? Who is Gopinatha?

Question: Lord of the gopis. Master of the gopis.

Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja: No, no; it doesn’t mean master. Natha means prana – life. Krsna is the gopis’ life. But this is not a name. What is His name? If anyone asks you, “Who are you?” you will generally state a relation between you and someone else. Similarly, there is a relation between Krsna and the gopis, and this relation is very high. Therefore, if you go to Gopinatha, He will give you the benediction that you can serve Him as the gopis serve. You will also be able to serve like them. You will realize that it is Gopinatha who gives this benediction. You cannot realize this at present, but when the time comes, you will realize it.

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Questions and answers

THE THOUGHT OF THE DAY

BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM
"Thoughts are like seeds. Loving and happy thoughts produce beautiful flowers and nourishing fruits; or thoughts can be spiteful and depressed, producing painful thorns and poisonous weeds. We can master our thoughts by directing our Self towards Krishna Meditation, by which the mind becomes our greatest friend. The fruits of this meditation are love of God, divine happiness and contentment."

DOGS PHILOSOPHY
"So you know the story, that one dog was crossing over a small rivulet, and he saw the picture of another dog in the water. And actually, there was no dog. He was carrying some food in his mouth, and he saw another dog within the water. So he thought, "Let me take his foodstuff from the mouth," and as he opened the mouth, he wanted to take the other dog's foodstuff, so whatever he had, gone. You see? This is dog philosophy, "Take away." Take other's meal; he loses his own. This is called illusion, māyā. You did not read this, Aesop's Fable story? It is very instructive story. This is dog's philosophy. This is dog's philosophy. All these so-called empire... This Roman Empire was expanded. The British Empire was expanded. Now they have lost everything. Finished. Finished. The dog's business was finished. So this kind of expansion, unnecessarily... Therefore our philosophy is "Be satisfied whatever God has given you." Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam [Īśopanisad mantra 1]. You be satisfied whatever is given to you by God, allotted to you. Don't try to encroach upon other's property. This is civilization."Srila Prabhupada

THE GREATEST OF DANCERS
Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karnikara flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayanti garland, Lord Krsna exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered the forest of Vrndavana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys sang His glories." Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.5

THE VIBRATION OF KRISHNA'S FLUTE
Hearing the vibration of Sri Krsna's flute, the bulls, cows and deer of Vrindavana approach Him. Unable to swallow the grass which they had taken into their mouths, they stand silently with their ears raised and appear like animals in a painting. SB 10.35.5

TAKE KRISHNA AND YOU WILL BE HAPPYWe want to be happy, with so many ideas. Everyone is making his own idea. But the rascals, they do not know that, what is the actual process for getting happiness...that is Krsna. That they do not know, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah[SB 7.5.31]. You can see in your country, they are trying so many things, so many skyscraper buildings, so many motor cars, so many big, big cities, but there is no happiness. Because they do not know what is missing. That missing point we are giving. Here it is, "You take Krsna and you will be happy." This is our Krsna consciousness. Krsna and the living entity, they are very intimately connected. Like father and son, or friend and friend, or master and servant, like that. We are very much intimately connected. But because we have forgotten our intimate relationship with Krsna, and trying to become happy in this material world, therefore we have to undergo so much tribulation. This is the position. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha k From Srila Prabhupada S.B. Lecture 1.15.1

I AM BOUND BY AFFECTION FOR THEM
Lord Krishna said “I am equal to all living beings and am neither inimical nor
partial to anyone. But as those who approach Me with bhakti are attached to Me, so too I am bound by affection for them.” Source Bhagavad Gita 9.29.

BE CAREFUL
You are what your deep driving desire is. As your desire is so, so is your will.
As your will is so, so is your deed. As your deed is so, so is your destiny.
Source.. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

ELEVATING ONES CONSCIOUSNESS
Although our state of mind is seen through the nature of our activities (how we
dress, eat, talk etc.), the type of activities we perform also affects our state
of mind. This means we can elevate our consciousness by elevating the nature of
our activities. All spiritual activities should help us to free our
consciousness from illusion and direct it towards God. A devotee of Krishna
accepts the regulations of spiritual life as ‘regulative principles of freedom’,
as tools for advancing personal character development and to attain a blissful
spiritual consciousness

CONSIDER THIS DEEPLY
Killing animals and eating them, among many other activities, which harm any
living entity in any way, is one of the worst things a person can do to create
negative karma for himself. Our present karmic reactions, happiness and
distress, all have their origin in our present or past life’s positive or
negative, kind or unkind activities. Therefore a sane person should always
consider this deeply before acting, and with great determination and for his own
benefit, remove himself from negative activity. Even if the whole world objects
and is against it, one should reject all that is even remotely associated with
causing harm to life.

WE ARE NOT ONE
The Jiva, the real self, does not become one with God, or indeed anything, even
after he has attained complete Liberation. The soul retains his individuality
under any circumstance. After death or here in this World or hovering on the
ghostly plane, existing in heaven or in the transcendental World. There is no
situation anywhere, in which the soul can be destroyed or loose his eternal
individuality, to think it can, is an illusion.

WE ARE IN FORGETFULNESS
The spirit souls attached to material life, cannot easily comprehend spiritual
attachment, nor can they have any experience of it. In reality, it is the souls
true function and eternal nature. However, we have become engrossed in
attachment to matter which causes us to forget, that we are actually a spiritual
particle of consciousness. This is a miserable condition, although hardly any of
the Souls who are thus entangled in birth old age disease and death, think so.

HE HAS AN ETERNAL FORM
5000 years ago, Lord Krishna spoke about the meaning of life, the subtle
workings of creation, and the understanding of a self- realized soul. He spoke
of the science of yoga in all its forms, the path of work, the path of
knowledge, the path of mysticism, the path of devotion. And at last Lord Krishna
revealed Himself before Arjuna as the source of everything, His eternal form as
the Supreme Lord.

HE IS VERY CLOSE
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the
wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the
material energy. Bhagavad Gita 18.61
Dr. Daniel Coleman, associate editor of Psychology Today and author of The
Varieties of Meditative Experiences.

THREE TYPES OF DISCUSSION
In a vada discussion the motive of all concerned is to find out the truth. This
is the ideal kind of discussion. It is for persons who are sober and impartial
about the outcome; they simply want to know what is the truth of the matter.
They are in the mode of goodness.

PraJalpa is a discussion wherein one is not interested in what is said by
others, whether it has some truth or all of the truth, because one simply wants
to be heard. Any other view or contribution is of no interest. This is the way
for a person in the mode of passion.

A vitanda discussion is in the mode of ignorance. In this version the truth
is of no value. One simply wants to win at all costs.

By Srila Jiva Gosvami, Sri-Sat-SandarbhaGOD CONSCIOUSNESS IS EVERYONE’S ORIGINAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Krishna Consciousness is not an artificial transformation. Our original
consciousness is God consciousness, but now our consciousness is covered with so
many identifications, situations and problems. Our consciousness is like water.
Water is by nature clear and transparent, but sometimes it becomes muddy. If you
filter all the mud out of the water, it again comes to its original clear,
transparent state. This is the result of Krishna meditation.WHAT GOES ROUND…COMES AROUND
You are what your deep driving desire is, as your desire is so, so is your will,
as your will is so, so is your deed, as your deed is so, so is your destiny.
“Isopanishads”SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHERS
Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada said: Neither the scientists nor
speculative philosophers have yet arrived at any conclusion concerning the
cosmic situation. All they have done is posit different theories about it. Some
of them say that the material world is real, others say that it is a dream, and
yet others say that it is ever existing. In this way different views are held by
mundane scholars.LIMITED CONSCIOUSNESS AND UNLIMITED CONSCIOUSNESS
The difference between God and the individual soul is, that the individual
spiritual soul is localized to one place and is situated inside the heart. Our
consciousness is limited to pervade just this one body. But Krishna has Super
Consciousness, He is unlimitedly all knowing. With a small fragment of Himself,
He pervades and maintains entire universes. In this way the theory that the soul
and God are one, is rejected and not acceptable. A person who imagines that he
has become all pervading, thinking himself to be God, is in illusion and
deluding himself.THE ROAD TO BHAKTI
By Srila Bhaktivinodha Thakura
When that suffering becomes excessive, it gives rise to a search for happiness.
From that desire, discrimination arises, and from discrimination, the tendency
for inquiry is born. As a result of this, one attains sat-sanga (the association
of saintly people), where upon sraddha develops. When sraddha is born, the jiva
ascends to a higher stage, namely the path of bhakti.
Exerpt From Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharajas Translation Of The Book Jaiva
DharmaREAL MEDITATION
By Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada.
At first, remembrance of Krsna may be interrupted at intervals, but later
remembrance proceeds uninterrupted. When remembrance is uninterrupted, it
becomes concentrated and is called meditation. When meditation expands and
becomes constant, it is called anusmrti. By uninterrupted and unceasing anusmrti
one enters the stage of samadhi, or spiritual trance. After smarana-dasa or
samadhi has fully developed, the soul comes to understand his original
constitutional position. At that time he can perfectly and clearly understand
his eternal relationship with Krsna. That is called sampatti-dasa, the
perfection of life.”

ONENESS AND DIFFERENCE
Though we come in various forms and though we are all individual personalities,
we all come from the same source and we are of the same spiritual substance as
Krishna. “Tattva” means reality, principle, and truth. He is beginning less and
we are all also eternal entities, one with Krishna in quality, and different in
quantity, we are simultaneously one with and different from Him, we are eternal
parts and parcels of God.

REALIZING OUR SPIRITUAL IDENTITY
Human life is awarded to the living entity the soul, to realize his spiritual
identity and his permanent source of happiness. The human beings seek happiness
because happiness is our original situation. But he is vainly seeking happiness
in the material atmosphere. We are constitutionally spiritual by nature and
therefore our happiness can be perfectly perceived in Bhakti Yoga

SAMADHI
In the stage of perfection called trance, or samādhi, one’s mind is completely
restrained from material mental activities by practice of bhakti yoga. This
perfection is characterized by one’s ability to see the Self by the pure mind
and to relish and rejoice in the Self.

QUALITIES TO STRIVE FOR
Peacefulness austerity purity tolerance honesty knowledge wisdom and religious
ness.These are the natural qualities by which the Brahmans work.

MATERIAL REALITY
Material life is non-eternal, and hence its impression of being substantive is
an illusion in form of a super-imposition on the eternal spiritual self.
Material knowledge is not real knowledge because it does not inform about real
eternal life and latest at the time of death it is exposed as useless. Material
so-called bliss is not real bliss because it is temporary, and when it ends, it
results in suffering.”

IT’S PERSONAL
The heat and luminosity of the sun’s rays demonstrate to any rational person
that the sun, the source of the rays, is not a dark, cold globe but rather a
reservoir of almost unlimited heat and light. Similarly, the innumerable
instances of personality and personal consciousness within creation are more
than adequate to demonstrate the existence, somewhere, of an unlimited reservoir
of consciousness and personal behavior which is that of Krishna.

NOT MUCH TIME
This human life is very short. Therefore, like the traveler in a guesthouse,
the living entity the spiritual soul, must diligently prepare for spiritual
realization during Its stay in this human body and its limited lifespan. Isn’t
it foolish to waste time trying to improve arrangements at the guesthouse during
one’s short visit, without concern for one’s destination?

A MOST IMPORTANT ANSWER
Who am I?’ This is the first question which arises in the heart of a person
seeking the highest good. If one makes a mistake in assessing one’s true
identity, then one will make errors when it comes to determining the ultimate
goal of life. If one makes an error in determining the ultimate goal of life,
then everything done, every effort made, will simply be wasted.

NOT THIS BODY
The teaching of the spiritual self beyond the material body solves the problems
of racism (which has led to billions of war, slavery and genocide victims),
nationalism, sexism, various psychological and sexual disorders and all other
prejudices and problems arising from bodily identification. The practice of
Bhakti yoga and chanting of Hare Krishna, in the right association, will bring
about proof and direct realization of ones authentic self

SKELETONISM
The big obstacle to human progress is skeletonism or the faith that ‘I am the
material body and reality consists only of what the material body perceives’. In
this way one blocks the path to the deeper truth which is perceivable only to
the spiritual senses and not to the gross senses. The basic human misconception
is that the physical body is the self, which naturally leads to an increasing
crisis of the self.

THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED
The lover, the individual soul, is eternal; the beloved, the Supreme Soul, is
eternal; and the loving relationship, bhakti, is also eternal, it is the
original function of the soul. Thus, this Bhakti yoga re-establishes
consciously, the original loving relationship between the Supreme Soul and the
individual soul. It is our unfortunate predicament, that we have forgotten this
wonderful truth, because we are falsely thinking ourselves to be products of
this material plane.

AWAKENING OF THE HEART
As the sun begins to rise, even before it is visible it dissipates the darkness
of night. With the first glimpse of sunlight, fear of thieves, ghosts, and
demons immediately disappears, and when the sun is actually visible, everything
is manifest and everyone begins performing his religious activities and
regulative duties. Similarly, the first hint that offense less chanting of the
Lord’s holy name has awakened dissipates the reactions of sinful life
immediately.

A GRADUAL PROCESS
The gradual process of elevation for self-realization is meant for those who
have realized, that there must be an Absolute Truth. After repeated birth and
deaths on this path, which is known as deva-yāna, one attains these consecutive
stages. Finally one becomes completely situated in ones blissful self, and need
not traverse the path of repeated birth and death anymore

MY LORD IS A PERSON
Although He is non-dual, infallible, beginningless, possessed of unlimited forms
and the oldest of all, nevertheless, He is a beautiful person with everlasting,
fresh youthfulness. Although He is incomprehensible through study of the Vedas,
He is easily attained by spontaneous devotion of the soul (shuddha-prema) I
worship that original personality, Shri Govinda, Krishna

OUR INNERMOST HANKERING
The innermost hankering of every soul is for Beauty, Love, Affection and
Harmony; Not for knowledge, power belongings or anything else. Please chant Hare
Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama
Hare Hare. This maha mantra cleanses the dust from the mirror of the mind and
awakens us to a pure life of loving devotion to the Lord free from all
anxieties.